The creation
story is in every native American culture. Here are a few examples featuring
Muskrat.

Creation of the
World (Blackfoot)

"In the beginning, all the world was water.
One day the Old Man, also called Napi, was curious to find out what might be
beneath the water. So he sent animals to dive beneath the surface. First duck
then otter, then Badger dived in vain. The Old Man then sent Muskrat diving to
the depths. After a long time muskrat rode to the surface holding between his
paws, a little ball of mud, and then blew upon it. The mud began to swell,
growing larger, and larger, until it became the whole earth. Then the Old Man
made the people."

The Creation Story – Turtle Island (Ojibway/Anishinabe)

Long ago, after the Great Mystery, or Kitchi-Manitou,
first peopled the earth, the Anishinabe, or Original People, strayed from their
harmonious ways and began to argue and fight with one another. Brother turned
against brother and soon the Anishinabe were killing one another over hunting
grounds and others disagreements. Seeing that harmony, brotherhood, sisterhood,
and respect for all living things no longer prevailed on Earth, Kitchi-Manitou
decided to purify the Earth. He did this with water.

The water came in the form of a great flood,
or mush-ko'-be-wun', upon the Earth destroying the Anishinabe people and most of
the animals as well. Only Nanaboozhoo, the central figure in many of the
Anishinabe oral traditions, was able to survive the flood, along with a few
animals and birds who managed to swim and fly. Nanaboozhoo floated on a huge log
searching for land, but none was to be found as the Earth was now covered by the
great flood. Nanaboozhoo allowed the remaining animals and birds to take turns
resting on the log as well. Finally, Nanaboozhoo spoke.

"I am going to do something," he said. "I am
going to swim to the bottom of this water and grab a handful of earth. With this
small bit of Earth, I believe we can create a new land for us to live on with
the help of the Four Winds and Kitchi-Manitou."

So Nanaboozhoo dived into the water and was
gone for a long time. Finally he surfaced, and short of breath told the animals
that the water is too deep for him to swim to the bottom. All were silent.
Finally, Mahng, the Loon spoke up. "I can dive under the water for a long way,
that is how I catch my food. I will try to make it to the bottom and return with
some Earth in my beak."

The Loon disappeared and was gone for a very
long time. Surely, thought the others, the Loon must have drowned. Then they saw
him float to the surface, weak and nearly unconscious. "I couldn't make it,
there must be no bottom to this water," he gasped. Then Zhing-gi-biss, the
helldiver came forward and said "I will try next, everyone knows I can dive
great distances." So the helldiver went under. Again, a very long time passed
and the others thought he was surely drowned. At last he too floated to the
surface. He was unconscious, and not till he came to could he relate to the
others that he too was unable to fetch the Earth from the bottom.

Many more animals tried but failed, including
Zhon-gwayzh', the mink, and even Mi-zhee-kay", the turtle. All failed and it
seemed as though there was no way to get the much needed Earth from the bottom.
Then a soft muffled voice was heard. "I can do it," it spoke softly. At first no
one could see who it was that spoke up. Then, the little Wa-zhushk", muskrat
stepped forward. "I'll try," he repeated. Some of the other, bigger, more
powerful animals laughed at muskrat. Nanaboozhoo spoke up. "Only Kitchi-Manitou
can place judgment on others. If muskrat wants to try, he should be allowed to."

So, muskrat dove into the water. He was gone
much longer than any of the others who tried to reach the bottom. After a while
Nanaboozhoo and the other animals were certain that muskrat had given his life
trying to reach the bottom. Far below the water's surface, Muskrat, had in fact
reached the bottom. Very weak from lack of air, he grabbed some Earth in his paw
and with all the energy he could muster began to swim for the surface. One of
the animals spotted Muskrat as he floated to the surface. Nanaboozhoo pulled him
up onto the log. "Brothers and sisters," Nanaboozhoo said, "Muskrat went too
long without air, he is dead." A song of mourning and praise was heard across
the water as Muskrat's spirit passed on to the spirit world. Suddenly
Nanaboozhoo exclaimed, "Look, there is something in his paw!" Nanaboozhoo
carefully opened the tiny paw. All the animals gathered close to see what was
held so tightly there. Muskrat's paw opened and revealed a small ball of Earth.
The animals all shouted with joy. Muskrat sacrificed his life so that life on
Earth could begin anew.

Nanaboozhoo took the piece of Earth from
Muskrat's paw. Just then, the turtle swam forward and said, "Use my back to bear
the weight of this piece of Earth. With the help of Kitchi-Manitou, we can make
a new Earth." Nanaboozhoo put the piece of Earth on the turtle's back. Suddenly,
the wind blew from each of the Four Directions, The tiny piece of Earth on the
turtle's back began to grow. It grew and grew and grew until it formed a mi-ni-si',
or island in the water. The island grew larger and larger, but still the turtle
bore the weight of the Earth on his back. Nanaboozhoo and the animals all sang
and danced in a widening circle on the growing island. After a while, the Four
Winds ceased to blow and the waters became still. A huge island sat in the
middle of the water, and today that island is known as North America.

Traditional Indian people, including the
Ojibway, hold special reverence for the turtle who sacrificed his life and made
life possible for the Earth's second people. To this day, the Muskrat has been
given a good life. No matter that marshes have been drained and their homes
destroyed in the name of progress, the Muskrat continues to survive and
multiply. The Muskrats do their part today in remembering the great flood; they
build their homes in the shape of the little ball of Earth and the island that
was formed from it.

The Creation (Mohawk)

Tharonhiawakon ( He Who Holds Up The Sky )
uplifted the Tree of the Standing Light, he placed his pregnant wife at the edge
of the hole, and he pushed her through into the space below. Aientsik fell.
Below her, all of the universe was water. The animals of the water saw her
falling, but because the sky was blue, as well as the water, they did not know
if she was falling from the sky, or coming up from the bottom of the lake. All
of the water animals had an argument about this. The otter said that she was
coming up from the bottom of the lake. The beaver agreed, as did the Muskrat.
The geese and the ducks, however, said that she was falling from the sky. They
flew up, and breaking the fall of Aientsik, let her rest upon their backs, and
brought her gently down to the surface of the water.

In the meanwhile, a great turtle came up out
of the water and volunteered to be a resting place for Aientsik, or Fertile
Earth. The beaver, otter and Muskrat each dove to the bottom of the lake to try
to bring up a mouthful of earth to place on the back of the turtle. The beaver
failed and died. The otter failed and also died. But the Muskrat was successful.
He placed the mud on the back of the turtle and Aientsik was laid down to rest.

When she woke, there was a fire next to her
and a pot of corn soup. The back of the turtle had grown in size and it was
visibly continuing to grow with every passing minute. Aientsik stood up on the
earth, and walked about it, helping in the process of its creation. Every day
when she returned to her resting place, there was a fire and a supply of corn,
or some beans or squash for her to eat. Corn, beans and squash have been known
ever since as the three sister-providers of the Mohawk people.

Creation (Potawatomi)

In the beginning, the Old People taught,
there was no land, only water. Floating on this Great Sea was a birch bark
canoe. In it, weeping, sat a man, Our Grandfather. He wept because he had no
idea of his fate.

After a time Chief Muskrat appeared and
climbed into the canoe. "Grandfather," he asked, "Why are you crying so?"

"I weep because I have been here a long,
long while, and there is no land," the man replied.

"But there is Earth down deep under the
Great Sea," responded Muskrat. "If you wish, I can swim down and bring some back
to you." Our Grandfather nodded, "Yes."

Muskrat disappeared beneath the Great Sea
and then bobbed up again, a gob of Earth in his mouth. "Are you alone like me?"
asked Our Grandfather.

"No," replied Chief Muskrat, and he called
to his fellows, the other chiefs of the animals who dwelled in the waters. They
appeared, one by one. First came Beaver, then Snapping Turtle, then Otter. Each
in turn dove deep into the Great Sea and then reappeared, bearing a ball of
Earth clenched in his mouth.

From these gobs of Earth, explained the Old
People, Our Grandfather fashioned This Island. Day after day he added to it as
his Grandchildren brought more Earth, until it was large enough and solidly
anchored in the Great Sea. Then he planted the Great Tree and other growing
things. Using a stick, he marked out the rivers and had the Muskrats dig out
their channels.